{"id":27616,"date":"2024-08-28T10:46:27","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:46:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/?p=27616"},"modified":"2024-08-28T10:46:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:46:27","slug":"aae-rejects-congressional-proposal-threatening-oral-health-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/aae-rejects-congressional-proposal-threatening-oral-health-research\/","title":{"rendered":"AAE Rejects Congressional Proposal Threatening Oral Health Research\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

In August, the AAE joined forces with 21 dental and medical organizations to oppose a proposal by retiring House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The proposal aims to reform the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). The suggested plan seeks to consolidate the NIDCR into a new \u201cInstitute of Neuroscience and Brain Research,\u201d potentially diluting the focus on oral health by integrating it within the broader neuroscience and brain research field. This misguided restructuring proposal could result in reduced funding and resources for oral health initiatives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The NIDCR plays a critical role in providing federal funding to dental schools and public health facilities, supporting research in crucial areas such as pain management, oral cancer, periodontal diseases, tooth development, genetics, oral disease prevention, and craniofacial congenital anomalies. Many AAE members have benefited from NIH initiatives, advancing their oral health research, with even some serving in prestigious fellowship roles. Notably, Dr. Kenneth M. Hargreaves, Editor of the AAE\u2019s Journal of Endodontics<\/em>, served as a senior staff fellow at the NIDCR and was later honored with the NIH\u2019s MERIT Award for his contributions to pain research.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing the significance of oral health research to the future of endodontics and the broader dental industry, the AAE is dedicated to opposing the advancement of this proposal throughout the remainder of the legislative session. The AAE is committed to preserving the existing structure of the NIDCR and supporting the key oral health research initiatives that support our specialty and the advancement of the oral health community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Resources:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n